Shadow of Influence

James Baldwin, a famous author noted for his works on personal identity and civil rights, states, “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”

If you ask people what the first important influence in their lives was or where it came from, the majority will point to their parents. As a rule, home is where we first experience the shadow concept. Most parents learn quickly that encouraging their children to “Do as I say, not as I do,” just doesn’t work!

The Shadow of Influence concept illustrates how we emulate people in our lives from whom we seek approval — our parents, leaders and peers. The shadow we cast greatly influences people at home and influences our culture at work. Awareness of our shadow is critical; once we are aware of our shadow, we have a choice over the one we cast.

It’s one thing to consciously influence others, but it’s another to realize that we influence others by how we behave toward patients, family members and fellow employees, in every moment, whether consciously or not. Our core value of Integrity invites us to be the best person we can be in each moment. One example of portraying a shadow is using our error prevention techniques such as Check & Coach.